by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Quill Tree, 2021. 466 pages. Romance
Two years after the events of What If It's Us, Ben has totally moved on -- until he hears that Arthur is back in town. And while Arthur is living his dream in a Broadway internship, he is more bothered than he expects when he comes upon Ben with a mystery boy. Did his feelings for Ben ever really go away? What if they're actually meant to be?
Never have I been this joyful over a sequel. Sometimes, a sequel can feel like a cash grab rather than the continuation of a story. But that wasn't the case here. When I read the first book, I was hooked up until the ending, which was very unsatisfying; I understand the importance of portraying two characters who realize their relationship isn't right for them and walk away staying friends, but it was hard to process that in a work of YA literature. I also appreciated how the people they were dating (Mikey and Mario) don't become characters we should hate, which rings true. It seems Albertalli and Silvera have redeemed themselves (and their characters) in this much-needed second installment.